Leonard Chan
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Leonard Chan (Republican Party) ran for election to the Texas House of Representatives to represent District 26. He lost in the Republican primary on March 3, 2020.
Chan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Leonard Chan was born in Houston, Texas. He earned a bachelor's degree from Rice University in 2007 and a master's degree from the University of Houston in 2009. Chan’s career experience includes working as a staff member for the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission and an advisor for the Cedar Park Fire Department and the Houston Fire Department.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 26
Jacey Jetton defeated L. Sarah DeMerchant in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 26 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jacey Jetton (R)  | 51.8 | 43,438 |
 | L. Sarah DeMerchant (D) | 48.2 | 40,436 | |
| Total votes: 83,874 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary runoff election
Democratic primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 26
L. Sarah DeMerchant defeated Suleman Lalani in the Democratic primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 26 on July 14, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | L. Sarah DeMerchant | 52.3 | 4,579 |
 | Suleman Lalani | 47.7 | 4,168 | |
| Total votes: 8,747 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary runoff election
Republican primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 26
Jacey Jetton defeated Matt Morgan in the Republican primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 26 on July 14, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jacey Jetton | 52.4 | 7,544 |
 | Matt Morgan | 47.6 | 6,853 | |
| Total votes: 14,397 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 26
Suleman Lalani and L. Sarah DeMerchant advanced to a runoff. They defeated Rish Oberoi and Lawrence Allen Jr. in the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 26 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Suleman Lalani | 31.7 | 4,425 |
| ✔ | | L. Sarah DeMerchant | 29.6 | 4,131 |
 | Rish Oberoi | 20.3 | 2,838 | |
 | Lawrence Allen Jr. | 18.4 | 2,570 | |
| Total votes: 13,964 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 26
Matt Morgan and Jacey Jetton advanced to a runoff. They defeated Leonard Chan in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 26 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Matt Morgan | 49.7 | 7,989 |
| ✔ | | Jacey Jetton | 40.7 | 6,540 |
 | Leonard Chan | 9.6 | 1,551 | |
| Total votes: 16,080 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Rick Miller (R)
Campaign finance
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Leonard Chan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Chan's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I, Leonard N. Chan, believe that Texas House District 26 deserves a representative that has the necessary passion and capabilities to effectively serve. As a graduate of Rice University and the University of Houston, I have obtained the skills and knowledge to develop prudent public policy that will benefit the community while upholding our principles and values. I have pursued a life in public service where I helped address issues related to disaster mitigation, public safety, education, and transportation. I have developed a deep interest in these policy areas because they have a critical importance to my community, my family, and myself.
As a native Texan, I believe that service to my hometown is a responsibility that I cannot ignore and have actively embraced this responsibility. As a high school student I coordinated volunteer teams for the Fort Bend County Women's Center. To this day, I continue to spearhead groups for Habitat for Humanity, Houston Food Bank, Catholic churches, and other outreach programs. During my career in supporting first responders, I gained an appreciation that willingness to serve must be matched by the dedication to develop the necessary capabilities.
- Build confidence in our preparedness for future storms.
- Experience-based development of pragmatic solutions to public safety issues.
- Continue investing in a public education system that produces leaders.
I have a strong personal interest in emergency management as I have experienced tornado and flood events throughout my life. This includes being at the First Colony Mall when a tornado struck it in the mid-1990s. I did not know what to expect and was separated from my family. The tornado inflicted substantial damage to the mall as well as the skating rink that I frequented regularly. The human cost of the event, thankfully, remained minimal. The community recovered, but I gained an appreciation that disasters could hit home. During Hurricane Rita, I had the opportunity to help in the emergency preparedness effort at my respective residential college at Rice University by providing assistance in the planning process and reassuring the classmates I lived alongside. My interest in emergency management followed me in my career including my time as an intern in the United States Senate and as an analyst with Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. In my responsibilities in emergency preparedness in the fire service, I regularly corresponded with my counterparts to discuss ideas and best practices. Writing condolences to Virginia Beach and El Paso following active shooter incidents simply motivated me to do more in helping protect the community.
I highly recommend Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin as it demonstrates how Lincoln assembled a team of rivals to help advise and guide him through times of crisis. He fully appreciated the necessity of considering different perspectives, but he maintained steadfast in upholding his moral principles and values. Under his leadership, the administration unified behind the common goal to maintain the viability of the United States.
I believe ethics stands above everything else for any individual in a leadership role. The actions of elected officials reflect and have ramifications for the constituencies they represent. Unethical behavior also tarnishes the causes the official champions no matter how strong the merits of the cause are. Elected officials should never betray the trust bestowed upon them. The priorities and values of a constituency should always transcend any one individual.
I believe I can be a successful officeholder because I understand leadership requires responsibility and sacrifice. I desire to serve not as a means to advance my career, but rather because I am convinced there is an obligation to offer my services if I have the capacity to do so.
The fall of the Berlin Wall is seared into my memory. Despite being only five years old, I could sense from my family and teachers how that historic moment symbolized a true turning point in history. In the years following the fall of the Berlin Wall pictures continued to be shared in classrooms, and segments of the wall became prized possessions. I learned to appreciate that in that moment the belief "that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace" became a reality. I believed the end of the Cold War launched an era of optimism where American values prevailed because they meant something greater than ourselves. Recent years may have shaken those beliefs for many of us, but because it has been proven in the past, I believe the human spirit cannot permanently be restrained and that freedom will inevitably prevail.
I would consider Once and Future King by T.H. White as one of my favorite novels. This true classic has elements that appeal to audiences of all ages with action and adventure. The foundation of the work is T.H. White's underlying message on leadership and governance. The novel also conveys a cautionary tale that even a kingdom led by King Arthur can be corrupted and lose its way. Because of the lessons in this novel, I learned that we cannot fall complacent during times of prosperity.
Significant challenges in flood mitigation, public safety, education, and transportation must be addressed in the upcoming legislative session to avoid future crises. Investment in infrastructure must keep pace with the population growth of the state. Deferring these efforts will lead to higher long-term costs, saddling the next generation with the consequences of neglect. Investment in infrastructure helps sustain strong economic growth. The economy experiences a sunk cost when floods, fires, and crime affect business. An educated workforce is the foundation of a strong economic engine. A better transportation system promotes increased efficiency in the market.
Building relationships with other legislators is critical to effectively serve as a representative. I intend to earn the trust of other legislators by promoting are for the public good rather than to gain notoriety. Without the trust of other legislators, bills that I promote may struggle to even survive the legislative process.
Due to my professional experience as well as the concerns of constituency, I would request to be selected to the Homeland Security & Public Safety, Public Education, Transportation, and State Affairs committees.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on December 30, 2019
Current members of the Texas House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Dustin Burrows
Representatives
District 1
Gary VanDeaver (R)
District 2
Brent Money (R)
District 3
Cecil Bell (R)
District 4
Keith Bell (R)
District 5
Cole Hefner (R)
District 6
Daniel Alders (R)
District 7
Jay Dean (R)
District 8
Cody Harris (R)
District 9
Trent Ashby (R)
District 10
Brian Harrison (R)
District 11
Joanne Shofner (R)
District 12
Trey Wharton (R)
District 13
Angelia Orr (R)
District 14
Paul Dyson (R)
District 15
Steve Toth (R)
District 16
Will Metcalf (R)
District 17
Stan Gerdes (R)
District 18
Janis Holt (R)
District 19
Ellen Troxclair (R)
District 20
Terry Wilson (R)
District 21
Dade Phelan (R)
District 22
Christian Manuel (D)
District 23
Terri Leo-Wilson (R)
District 24
Greg Bonnen (R)
District 25
Cody Vasut (R)
District 26
Matt Morgan (R)
District 27
Ron Reynolds (D)
District 28
Gary Gates (R)
District 29
Jeffrey Barry (R)
District 30
A.J. Louderback (R)
District 31
Ryan Guillen (R)
District 32
Todd Hunter (R)
District 33
Katrina Pierson (R)
District 34
District 35
Oscar Longoria (D)
District 36
Sergio Munoz (D)
District 37
Janie Lopez (R)
District 38
Erin Gamez (D)
District 39
Armando Martinez (D)
District 40
Terry Canales (D)
District 41
Robert Guerra (D)
District 42
Richard Raymond (D)
District 43
J.M. Lozano (R)
District 44
Alan Schoolcraft (R)
District 45
Erin Zwiener (D)
District 46
Sheryl Cole (D)
District 47
Vikki Goodwin (D)
District 48
Donna Howard (D)
District 49
Gina Hinojosa (D)
District 50
James Talarico (D)
District 51
District 52
Caroline Harris (R)
District 53
Wesley Virdell (R)
District 54
Brad Buckley (R)
District 55
Hillary Hickland (R)
District 56
Pat Curry (R)
District 57
Richard Hayes (R)
District 58
Helen Kerwin (R)
District 59
Shelby Slawson (R)
District 60
Mike Olcott (R)
District 61
District 62
Shelley Luther (R)
District 63
Ben Bumgarner (R)
District 64
Andy Hopper (R)
District 65
Mitch Little (R)
District 66
Matt Shaheen (R)
District 67
Jeff Leach (R)
District 68
David Spiller (R)
District 69
James Frank (R)
District 70
Mihaela Plesa (D)
District 71
Stan Lambert (R)
District 72
Drew Darby (R)
District 73
Carrie Isaac (R)
District 74
Eddie Morales (D)
District 75
Mary Gonzalez (D)
District 76
Suleman Lalani (D)
District 77
Vincent Perez (D)
District 78
Joseph Moody (D)
District 79
Claudia Ordaz (D)
District 80
Don McLaughlin (R)
District 81
Brooks Landgraf (R)
District 82
Tom Craddick (R)
District 83
Dustin Burrows (R)
District 84
Carl Tepper (R)
District 85
Stan Kitzman (R)
District 86
John Smithee (R)
District 87
Caroline Fairly (R)
District 88
Ken King (R)
District 89
Candy Noble (R)
District 90
Ramon Romero (D)
District 91
David Lowe (R)
District 92
Salman Bhojani (D)
District 93
Nate Schatzline (R)
District 94
Tony Tinderholt (R)
District 95
Nicole Collier (D)
District 96
David Cook (R)
District 97
John McQueeney (R)
District 98
District 99
Charlie Geren (R)
District 100
Venton Jones (D)
District 101
Chris Turner (D)
District 102
Ana-Maria Ramos (D)
District 103
Rafael Anchia (D)
District 104
Jessica Gonzalez (D)
District 105
Terry Meza (D)
District 106
Jared Patterson (R)
District 107
Linda Garcia (D)
District 108
Morgan Meyer (R)
District 109
Aicha Davis (D)
District 110
Toni Rose (D)
District 111
Yvonne Davis (D)
District 112
Angie Button (R)
District 113
Rhetta Bowers (D)
District 114
John Bryant (D)
District 115
District 116
Trey Fischer (D)
District 117
Philip Cortez (D)
District 118
John Lujan (R)
District 119
Elizabeth Campos (D)
District 120
District 121
Marc LaHood (R)
District 122
Mark Dorazio (R)
District 123
Diego Bernal (D)
District 124
Josey Garcia (D)
District 125
Ray Lopez (D)
District 126
Sam Harless (R)
District 127
District 128
Briscoe Cain (R)
District 129
Dennis Paul (R)
District 130
Tom Oliverson (R)
District 131
Alma Allen (D)
District 132
Mike Schofield (R)
District 133
Mano Deayala (R)
District 134
Ann Johnson (D)
District 135
Jon Rosenthal (D)
District 136
John Bucy (D)
District 137
Gene Wu (D)
District 138
Lacey Hull (R)
District 139
District 140
Armando Walle (D)
District 141
District 142
Harold Dutton (D)
District 143
Ana Hernandez (D)
District 144
Mary Perez (D)
District 145
District 146
Lauren Simmons (D)
District 147
Jolanda Jones (D)
District 148
Penny Shaw (D)
District 149
Hubert Vo (D)
District 150
Valoree Swanson (R)
Republican Party (88)
Democratic Party (62)
